Eyewitnesses in Baghdad
Saturday, April 12, 2003

American CIA and Marines opened the central prison of Baghdad to encourage
criminals and thieves in looting and rioting

As news come in daily from Iraq like a barrage to viewers in Palestine
and other Arab countries, many expressed deep sadness and pain watching
symbols of Iraqi state, universities and history being tarnished and run
sacked. The common belief now, in the Arab World is that American occupation
forces are intentionally encouraging this state of lawlessness and disorder
in many Iraqi cities.

Watching news in Arabic through many Arab media sources gives a different
picture of what is going on in Iraq from other international sources especially
the American media.

One Baghdad resident confirmed in an interview, filmed as looters ran bye,
to Al Jazeera TV channel that the American Marines and CIA agents opened
the central prison of Baghdad and released all prisoners; many of them
criminals and thieves. The man said,・I saw in my own eyes when the Marines
brought in about three hundreds prisoners and released them on this governmental
buildings complex to destroy everything. ・

The resident added firmly and angrily, ・We are proud Iraqis. Our values
do not allow such conditions. It is the American soldiers who allow this
intentionally. Iraqis will kick those soldiers and kill them for bringing
us this disastrous war.・

Dr. Mustafa Al Anni, a member of the British Royal institute for defense
studies, an Iraqi British Citizen, and a frequent guest speaker on the
current Iraqi war to many Arab media sources, said, ・what we are watching
now of looting and theft is a deliberate policy by the Americans to destroy
what is left of Iraq as a state. It is an intentional act in order to bring
the Iraqi people to a point of despair and hopelessness

So that people of Iraq can easily accept any form of government which will
be imposed by the Americans in the coming weeks or so.・

He added,・I do believe the CIA and the Marines are actively involved in
promoting this chaos and lawlessness. The Americans opened Baghdad Central
Prison and released all kinds of criminals.・Dr. Al Anni continued speaking,・

The Americans could致e, at least, imposed a curfew in the first couple
of days after occupying Baghdad and other cities. Why did not they call
up the police force? If they (Americans) could plan for such a war what
stopped them from establishing some kind of security for normal people?
As an occupying power and under international law, it is their responsibility
to provide basic needs and security to the people who are now being under
occupation.・The guest speaker commented on a scene where looters entered
the ministry of civil Affairs and Citizenship and said,・this is a very
important ministry. All those records are for sure a huge loss to Iraq.
Now, Americans can bring any outsider and legally・declare him/her an Iraqi
citizen for example. Look, records are being destroyed and American soldiers
are watching. Also, hospitals and universities are being destroyed so in
the future American companies will be granted contracts to rebuild such
institutions the way they want it. It is a great tragedy for Iraq .・